Live Your Life
by secretoftetra
Summary: HGFD GWLL HGCC femslash! Chapter Four! Hermione tries to apologize to Fleur and meets someone unexpected. And no it's not Cho. This isn't the goshdarn 'Hermione and Cho' show. Warning: cursing. Takes place during the Yule Ball. R&R!
1. Pep Talk, courtesy of a drunken Ginny

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

A/N: Femslash. Yes yes. Guess this takes place at the Yule Ball, or whatevs. Later on I'm not even going to try and attempt Fleur's french accent. Anyway. Read & review! More to come soon!

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"I don't know why this has to be so hard."

Ginny slapped Hermione on the arm.

"Fuck!"

"This isn't HARD, Hermione.", she sighed and looked out over the dance floor at Fleur, who had a crowd of admirers dancing around her.

"Well, what do you expect me to do? I can't just walk right up to her!"

"Why not?"

"Because she's fucking _dancing_, Ginny! I'm not going to walk right up to her and snog her brains out on the fucking dance floor!" Hermione cried out.

"So that's what you want to do then?"

"Huh?"

"Snog her? That's what you want to do?"

"I, I..uh.", Hermione rubbed her eyes.

"I KNEW IT!" People were starting to stare.

"Ginny, could you LOWER your god damn voice!" Hermione shouted.

"NO! When are you going to start _living_ your life!"

"Oh, so just cause you bagged Luna, means that you now_ live _your life, huh!"

Ginny turned red.

"Don't you drag her into this! I'm not talking about my life, I'm talking about the one you don't have!"

Hermione closed her eyes.

"Ginny, go away."

"What?"

"Go away."

"Why?"

"You are annoying me."

"I'm annoying?" Ginny repeated, grabbing a random butterbeer off a table nearby, "I'm annoying? You're the one who's too scared to go up and talk to your lover!" Ginny motioned flamboyantly at Fleur, knocking a few empty bottles off the table. They fell to the floor and shattered loudly. "Everything's fine folks!" she yelled at the people who were nowstaring nearby.

"She is _not_ my lover. Not yet at least."

Ginny chugged the bottle.

"Yeah well, she won't be if you don't do anything about it."

Ginny slammed the now empty bottle down on the table.

"Going a little fast there, huh?" Hermione said, gesturing at the bottle, but watching Fleur out of the corner of her eye. Her blonde hair seemed to be everywhere, mocking Hermione, beckoning her forward.

"L-Look," Ginny said, putting a hand on Hermione's shoulder to steady herself, slurring already, the butterbeer taking effect on her small body quickly, "Loony, uh, f-fuck, I mean Luna, Luna, is upstairs.. w-waiting for me. I need to loosen up a b-bit,"she said, hiccuping, "before I go. That girl,", she said, shuddering, "she's amazing, and I love her to deathhhh, but, but, we're not without our problems." she finished, closing her eyes for a moment and reaching for another butterbeer.

Hermione nodded. Last week alone they had broken up three times.

They stood in silence for a few moments, Ginny drinking the rest of her second butterbeer.

"Look, Hermy, I'm gonna go f-find Luna. You go t-talk to Fleur. You only live once.", she said, holding up a single finger.

Hermione watched her walk away, and then turned her eyes back on Fleur. She had paused in her dancing to be led away for a drink with Cho Chang. Jealousy erupted inside of her. So, Cho had finally moved on had she?

Cho and Hermione had went out for exactly three months and twenty three days. Three long months and twenty three days of love and drama. There had been the time she had caught Cho cheating on her with Cedric. That had been a huge blow to their relationship. But Hermione had taken her back, Cho reassuring her that she still loved her and was just young and stupid, and Hermione was willing to forgive and forget as much as she could.

It was hard, dating the beautiful and popular captain of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. Jealousy stabbed at Hermione, when she saw the way Cho smiled at attractive girls, and teased handsome boys. Hermione had tried talking to Cho about her worries but Cho had brushed it off as merely being friendly. Then came the last straw.

When rumors had gotten out that Cho talked in her sleep about loving him, Cho confessed to Hermione her love for Harry. She said it wasn't really a big deal, which they both knew it was. She said she just needed a break from Hermione, said she wanted to see if she was into boys at all. She told Hermione that she really did love her more than anything, and that they could patch things up after a summer apart.

But Hermione couldn't do it anymore. She painfully told Cho that it was over. Cho didn't take it very well. The summer that Cho had planned to be a break from Hermione, was anything but. Hermione got letters daily from Cho, sometimes splattered with tears, sometimes with a hint of a love potion. But Cho would never enchant Hermione like that. If Hermione knew one thing about Cho, she wanted love to be real, honest, free. That's why after Cho had lied and cheated on her, Hermione had taken her back. She knew that Cho was better than that; that Cho _knew _better than that.

Then September 1st came, and it was a strange reality, the afterlife of their relationship. It was as if it had never happened at all. Neither of them spoke to each other. Hermione would have considered a friendship with her, and Cho might have as well, but if they wanted anything of the sort they certainly never showed any signs of it at all. They hadn't had a single conversation since the day they broke up, and Hermione had never answered any of her letters.

Now, Christmas time was here, and Hermione hadn't dated, hadn't kissed, hadn't had anything with anyone, "since Cho." as she referred to it.

But tonight that could change. Fleur was, if anything, possibility. Possibility that Hermione wanted more than ever, now that Cho had decided to move in for the kill. She wouldn't give up. Cho was just a mere obstacle to Hermione now. She was up for the challenge.

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A/N: Review! 


	2. In the Garden of Eden

A/N/: I have decided to bring this story back to life! Amen.

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"So, Hermione...how are you?" 

Hermione looked around at the table she was now sitting at. She still couldn't figure out for the life of her how she had gotten there.

"I'm...fine." she said, staring across the table into Cho's eyes, for the first time in a _long_ time.

She looked pretty much the same as she always had. Heart shaped face, long shiny black hair, and eyes the color of chocolate kisses. Hermione willed herself not to fall back under her charm, and she couldn't help noticing a somewhat tired, defeated look about Cho, as if she had had her heart broken one too many times.

"Are you two..._involved?_"

Hermione's head jerked to the right. She had almost forgotten that Fleur was there.

"Wha-? N-No. We are not.", said Hermione firmly, avoiding Cho's eyes.

Cho said nothing.

"Well, good then. Perhaps you would like to show me around ze' gardens outside?", Fleur whispered in Hermione's ear, winking at her.

Hermione stood up very quickly and pulled Fleur along with her. Anything to get away from Cho's depressed gaze.

When they had finally reached the open doors of the castle, Hermione took a great breath of fresh air.

Fleur smiled at her, and Hermione shrugged.

"Just glad to be outside, you know."

Fleur nodded at her.

They walked the length of the gardens until Fleur paused, gesturing Hermione to sit down on a bench that was underneath some beautiful lighted fairies, flying about.

"Hogwarts is very beautiful zis' time of year.", Fleur observed, glancing sideways at Hermione next to her.

Hermione smiled. It was true, Hogwarts in the eyes of a visitor could be seen as extravagant. It's beauty was usually taken for granted by those who were immersed in it all the time.

Fleur moved a bit closer to Hermione on the bench, and Hermione breathed in deeply. Fleur smelled like a million different beautiful things at once.

"Hogwarts is not ze' only thing zat' is beautiful around here."

Hermione turned her head to look at Fleur, and blushed. Fleur had moved so close to Hermione on the bench, that her lips were mere inches away from her own. Her green eyes temptingly glanced downward at Hermione's mouth, and then back up to meet her brown eyes. She smiled. It was all Hermione could do to hold herself back.

"I, uh, thank you.", she spluttered, mentally slapping herself for not being able to think of something better to say.

Fleur glanced in the direction of her lips again.

"You know 'ermione, I have been watching you for quite some time."

Hermione gulped.

"H-Have you?", she asked, forcing herself not to stare longingly at the luscious lips presented before her.

"Yes. I have.", she said, taking a deep breath.

Hermione couldn't control herself any longer, and started to move towards Fleur, closing her eyes when-

"OW! LUNA! Come on!"

Two angry voices filled the air around them.

"Well, if you think the smell of butterbeer on your breath is attractive Ginny..."

"What are you talking about?! God dammit, Loony-..uh Luna..."

"Yes, keep calling me that Gin, it's sure to win me back."

"_Luna!_"

"Why don't you just go up to bed, alright? I'll go hang out with someone who hasn't drank 5 gallons of butterbeer tonight. You know, I think Neville is actually straight-edge. What a pleasant change."

Ginny growled.

"Don't you dare."

"Dare what? What Ginny? I am so sick of you and your little episodes. I need someone in my life who will be there for me. Not slobber all over me like a drunken mess when I try and cozy up to them."

"Cozy up?! COZY UP?! So is that what you were trying to do when you had your hand down my-"

But Ginny stopped talking abruptly when she and Luna spotted Hermione and Fleur on the bench. Ginny had been following Luna through the gardens as she strode toward the castle, and neither of them stopped at the site of Hermione and Fleur, although Ginny did mouth "What the fuck?" at Hermione, raising her eyebrows at Fleur and winking.

Hermione blushed.

"Umm.."

Fleur smiled and sighed.

"So, do you want to go inside and have a drink? I must try some of zis' butterbeer that I have heard so much about!"


	3. Longbottom Spit

Hermione followed Fleur back inside the castle, still unable to believe her luck of being with such a pretty girl. Fleur's charm was indescribable.

"So, do you drink zis' butterbeer often?"

Hermione smiled as Fleur handed her a glass.

"Well, often enough to know how to have a good time."

Fleur beamed at her. "Zat's my kind of girl." she said with a smirk.

Hermione felt as if a balloon had been inflated in her chest. Just flirting with Fleur was reason enough to smile, and she felt as if she could stare into those eyes forever.

"So what do you do in Beauxbatons to have a good time?"

Fleur observed her drinking down the butterbeer, amused.

"Do?" she repeated. "Well, for a good time, pretty girls unlike yourself."

Hermione hicccuped.

"P-Pardon?"

"Pretty girls zat' are like you, deserve to be treated much more delicately. Beautiful girls like you are worth getting to know first."

Hermione's mouth fell open.

"I, Fleur...I don't know what to say."

"Say you'll come back to my room in ze' Beauxbatons carriage?"

"Of course.", Hermione said at once. Her heart was thumping madly in her chest.

Fleur smiled. "Excellent."

She led the way out of the Great Hall, and out of the castle again.

"And just where are you two going?"

Hermione and Fleur spun around. Cho was standing there with her hands on her hips.

"What's it to you?" said Hermione sharply.

"Not sneaking out, are you? Because I could inform Dumbledore."

"Oh go fuck yourself Cho. Come on Fleur.", Hermione pulled Fleur towards the carriage, but Fleur remained standing where she was, looking at Cho curiously.

"I thought zat' you two were finished...?"

"We are." growled Hermione. "She's just decided to be a prat tonight."

"Oho! A prat, am I? How about I go and tell Dumbledore that too then?!"

Hermione had had enough.

"Cho, what the hell is your problem?! Leave us the fuck alone. Besides, wheres Harry?"

Cho's eyes flashed. "Don't you bring him into this!"

"Why? Isn't that what you did in the first place?"

"Hermione Granger, I swear I will-"

"Enough."

Hermione and Cho both stopped arguing and turned to look at Fleur.

"Clearly, zere' is something between you two. Clearly, it was I who was mistaken." and with a sad look at Hermione, she tore off towards the Beauxbatons carriage.

"Now look what you've done!" shouted Hermione.

"Me? Please, the french bitch was bound to do that anyway!"

"Excuse me? Don't you DARE insult her in front of me!"

"What, are you two married? God, Hermione you make me sick."

"And you disgust me! When will you fucking get over me and move on?! I don't WANT you anymore Cho! So fucking get a life!"

"Me? ME? You're the one who-"

"HEY! What's going on here?!" yelled a voice, interrupting.

Hermione and Cho had both pulled their wands out, their faces an inch apart.

"Ginny?" Hermione asked confusedly, staring at her standing on the steps. "What do you want?"

"To stop you two from killing each other!" she said, grabbing Hermione and pulling her towards the gardens away from Cho. "What the hell happened?"

"Oh, I don't know. Look Ginny, I have to go find Fleur and apologize to her."

"Apologize? Please don't tell me you've fucked things up already with her. And speaking of fucking up, that's exactly what I did with Luna tonight. I think she hates me, Hermione. I really think she does."

Hermione patted her on the shoulder. "I'm sure deep down she doesn't."

"Oh, I don't know, Hermione. She looked pretty convincing snogging Neville tonight."

Hermione came to a halt. "Snogging _who_?!"

"Yep. Neville." said Ginny, pulling a flask out of her robes and sucking down. "What can you do, eh? Life's a bitch."

Hermione looked over at her sad friend. "Indeed it is, indeed it is."

"Well, you better go talk to your lover. And I better go salvage whats left of mine."

Hermione looked towards the Beauxbatons carriages. Shadow surrounded it, and it didn't look like an inviting sight. Ginny noticing the hesitation in her, placed her hand on Hermione's arm.

"Don't worry. She likes you, I can tell. And besides, it could be worse. Next time I makeout with Luna, I have to taste spit that came out of a Longbottom!"


	4. The Hermione and Cho Show

Five minutes later Hermione was knocking on the door of the Beauxbatons carriage. It had taken surprisingly long to get across the grounds. It was hard enough to walk in heels and the butterbeer churning inside her was not helping anything.

"Um, Fleur? Are you in there?" she asked tentatively. She didn't know how big the inside of the carriage was, or if Fleur was far inside it.

Silence.

"Fleur?!" she said a bit louder, knocking again.

Still silence. Hermione sighed and stepped back from the carriage, turning to look back at the lit up gardens in front of the castle.

"'Who is it that you haf' been looking for?"

Hermione's heart nearly stopped beating and she turned quickly to see a dark figure emerging from the shadows.

"Uh, just... just my friend." she said, looking at him up and down. He looked familiar...

"Fleur? The Beauxbatons champion? I see. So you are..rooting for her?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"Well, does it matter?" she said, starting to wonder if maybe she should just turn back to the ball and look for Ginny. She could apologize to Fleur some other time.

"Well, it would alvays' help to haf' pretty girls like yourself on my side." he said, stepping into the light so Hermione could see him more clearly.

"Oh! You're Viktor Krum!" she exclaimed loudly, coming to the realization. She quickly blushed and looked away.

"Correct," he said smugly, smiling at the blush creeping up on her cheeks. "But you haf' yet to tell me your name."

She looked up into his sparkling eyes. He was eyeing her with interest and waiting for her answer.

"It's...It's Hermione." she said, starting to feel a little dizzy from his presence. Just standing there all smug and charming was making her feel somewhat sick. That and the added anxiety of knowing that Fleur was mere feet away in the carriage, probably pissed off at all the immature drama that had went down between Hermione and Cho. The whole night had been about Cho. It was the goddamn "Hermione and Cho" show. Fleur had become a supporting cast member.

"L-Look, Viktor," she said as he stepped towards her. "It was nice meeting you, but I really have to-"

"Shh," he said, putting an unwelcome finger on her lips. "Less talk. Let me take you back to the Durmstrang ship, and-"

"Viktor!" Hermione said, stepping back and pulling her face away from his outstretched hand. "I hardly know you."

His features suddenly became very harsh as his eyes narrowed.

"And you are telling me you know this Fleur girl for more than one night?!" he said, angrily.

"Th-That's none of your business, I'm afraid." she said, glaring at him. Who the hell did he think he was?

Viktor stood there glaring back at her furiously.

"Fine." he said, turning and marching away off into the grounds.

Hermione sighed a breath of relief. Finally. Now she could get back to the real issue here.

"Fleur?!" she called again, knocking on the door. Still no answer.

"FLEUR!" she yelled, losing patience and banging on the door. "Just open up, dammit! Fuck!"

The door swung open.

"'ermione, you must not shout curses like zat'. You will get us both in trouble."

Hermione, so full of shock at the fact that Fleur had finally opened the door, was speechless.

"What do you want anyway, 'ermione?" Fleur said, folding her arms and getting an uncharacteristically dark look on her face.

"I...," she started, unsure of what to say. The actual sight of Fleur herself had driven almost everything out of her mind. "I wanted to apologize."

Fleur sighed.

"Well, come in zen', I guess. And by the way, I could hear your voices outside. I see you've met my ex-boyfriend, Viktor Krum."


End file.
